News from Latin America and the Caribbean

Mexico's Calderon not so happy with U.S. drug war cooperation

In unusually candid comments, Mexican President Felipe Calderon has criticized U.S. agencies for failing to do their part in the fight against powerful drug cartels.

Calderon said that while Presidents Bush and Obama have been cooperative, the "institutional cooperation" has been "notoriously insufficient."

He said the U.S., which is sending $1.4 billion in training, equipment and other drug war aid, had failed to curb drug consumption or the flow of weapons into Mexico.

The comments came in an extensive interview with the Mexican daily newspaper El Universal, published Tuesday. Here's the complete interview in Spanish, along with various video and audio components.

Calderon, who enjoys pretty consistent public support from Washington, said recent revelations from highly critical leaked diplomatic cables have hurt and distorted the relationship. He said U.S. diplomats "pour lots of cream on their tacos," an expression meaning they tend to exaggerate.

"They always want to raise their own agendas before their bosses, and they've done a lot of damage with the stories they tell," Calderon said.